The present invention relates to AC gas display devices which are capable of producing a visual display representing data such as numerals, letters and the like associated with data terminal devices and more particularly, to an integrated gas discharge display device in which a portion of the display device includes the electrical control elements which operate the display device.
Present day display apparatuses found in data terminal devices are generally of the gas discharge type in which the display panel is mounted within the terminal device and is connected to the electronics of the terminal device for controlling the operation of the display device. Conventional display devices utilize two sheets of glass which constitute the display envelope and which construction generates problems resulting in low yields due to breakage, handling, etc. Additional production and reliability difficulties are generated with the hermetic seal between the sheets of glass due to the large number of electrical connections which must be made to the internal gas discharge electrodes and which must pass through the marginal seals between the glass and the electrical connections. Microscopic air permeable pores frequently develop along such seals during manufacturing, which are difficult to detect. This porosity slowly admits atmospheric air into the low pressure gas chamber, thereby shortening the useful life of the display panel. Because of moisture and corrosion, problems have also developed in the electrical connections and components which operate the display device.
Various display panels have been proposed to overcome these problems. One such attempt is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,215, to Bilaback, wherein the gas display panel has been mounted with a printed circuit board on which are mounted the various electrical components used in operating the display panel. However, the electrical connections of the panel extend through the glass envelope for connection to the electrical conductors of the circuit board, thus still exhibiting the porosity problems detailed above. It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel self-contained gas discharge display panel. It is another object of this invention to provide a gas discharge display panel which is compact in construction. It is a further object of this invention to provide a gas discharge display panel which is efficient and reliable in its operation but is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.